1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recording apparatus, such as a printer, a copier, a facsimile or the like, which determines whether the current sheet-feeding operation is a manual sheet-feeding operation or an automatic sheet-feeding operation using detection means for detecting the presence of a sheet and sheet feeding means.
2. Description of the Related Art
In some of conventional recording apparatuses, such as printers, copiers, facsimiles or the like, an automatic sheet-feeding device for automatically feeding a sheet is mounted. Such devices are classified into two types; i.e., a type which can be separated from the recording apparatus, and a type which is incorporated and fixed in the recording apparatus.
FIG. 6 illustrates an example of the above-described recording apparatus. In general, an automatic sheet-feeding device 107 provided in this recording apparatus 101 executes a sheet-feeding operation before performing a recording operation when information indicating that certain information is to be recorded has been input.
In general, a sheet sensor for detecting if a sheet of recording paper has been inserted is provided in recording apparatus 101, and operations of setting the position of the leading end of the sheet, ending the sheet, and the like are controlled based on signals from the sheet sensor.
The operator performs a manual sheet-feeding operation by inserting a sheet of recording paper from manual sheet-feeding port 117. In general, the manual sheet-feeding operation is not consecutively performed. However, when using particular recording paper, such as envelopes, post cards or the like, the manual sheet-feeding operation is, in some cases, consecutively performed. The conventional recording apparatus 101 includes a switch for switching between an automatic sheet-feeding mode and a manual sheet-feeding mode in order to consecutively execute the manual sheet-feeding operation.
Even in the conventional recording apparatus 101 in which the automatic sheet-feeding device 107 is mounted, when performing recording on different recording paper during a recording operation, a sheet of the recording paper is manually inserted whenever necessary. In the conventional recording apparatus 101, an automatic sheet-feeding operation and a manual sheet-feeding operation are operated by switching between the two kinds of operations using the switch.
Such switching between the two kinds of operations using the switch in the conventional recording apparatus 101 causes a complicated configuration of the apparatus, complication in the operations, and an increase in the production cost of the apparatus.